Release Date: January 18, 2011
Following up on its sixth studio album Sex, Love and Rock ‘n’ Roll, Social Distortion returns to the studio to record and bestows upon the teeming masses a gift from God.
The wait (nearly four years) has been worth it as Social Distortion lines up a number of rock hard tracks on an album fit for a king. Mike Ness and the boys kick serious ass in unmatched style, grinding out the latest spat of awesomeness, Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes. With Ness behind the microphone (and the controls), Social Distortion’s latest contribution to the world of punk music doesn’t hold back and makes a statement like no other.
Ness wears the producer hat for the first time, retiring Social Distortion to a Burbank studio to run together Rhymes. The band’s sound is wrapped neatly in a traditional rockabilly/punk package with a toe dipping in the realm of the Rolling Stones and old-timey country music. This makes for a masterful take on punk music – robbing banks and creaming young girls’ frilly pink panties.
Social Distortion opens the album with sheer panache. Heating the tracks up with the instrumental “Road Zombie,” the song paves the way for a face-smashing album with this rockabilly anthem. By the end of this two-plus minute song, ears are warm and the mind is frothing for what is next to come.
The follow-up comes in the form of a Stones-like musical cavalcade called “California (Hustle and Flow).” Jam-packed with gospel singers in the background and a handful of down right delicious guitar riffs, the song is one of a few on the album with such flair. In a recent interview, Ness says, “It started out as pretty much a roots rocker, ended up morphing into kind of a tribute to the Stones.”
“Can’t Take it with You” holds true to the same sound as the Stones and gives the soul something to grasp to that isn’t just your run-of-the-mill punk music.
Paying homage to the 1930s gangster, the band puts together a song drifting into the world of holdin’ folks up and keeping company with pimps and whores in “Machine Gun Blues.” It’s a fast-moving treasure map of days when all men, women and kids should get out of the way of a fine dressed man sporting a pin stripe suit, spats and a Tommy Gun.
Even as a mainstay in the punk community, Ness and crew manage to slide a couple of ballads on the album. “Bakersfield” speaks of being on the outs and trying to get back in. Ness hopes for a “California king bed” when he gets back into town so he has some place to rest his head (long road trips can weigh heavy on the soul). Social Distortion pays homage to old school country music legend Hank Sr. in a brooding cover of “Alone and Forsaken.” Ness also shows his prowess as a crooner on “Writing on the Wall.” Visions of a teenage Social Distortion wooing young girls in the crowd comes to mind as Ness wisps over closing lyrics, “oooh, I can’t let go.”
Social Distortion worked the entire album together flawlessly. With Ness as the full-on producer, he has all the ammo he needs to help shoot the music scene full of holes. Even though the wait seemed like an eternity, there is no comparison from the rest of the industry when Social Distortion puts its music on wax.
Punkers both young and old will forever hold this band with special regard. As long as the boys continue to rock the pants off the rest of the world, Social Distortion will always have a home in the punk world and Southern California.
Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes Tracklist
- Road Zombie
- California (Hustle and Flow)
- Gimme the Sweet and Lowdown
- Diamond in the Rough
- Machine Gun Blues
- Bakersfield
- Far Side of Nowhere
- Alone and Forsaken
- Writing on the Wall
- Can’t Take It With You
- Still Alive
